[Dixielandjazz] Henry Ford - 1926 Newspaper

[Pat Ladd]

How on earth did you happen upon a newspaper from 1926 Pat?>>

I was researching  a murder that took place locally on Christmas Day 1925 in 
the local County records Office and it just caught my eye.

Old newspapers I have found to reflect just about the same problems we have 
today.

For instance in the UK at the moment immigrants and the difficulty of 
exporting them is a burning question.
I noticed in the 1926 newspaper a story that a black man named Darky` had 
moved into a local `workhouse` (no doubt a hostel these days) He had done no 
work,in return for his keep, which was the usual agreement. and refused to 
leave. The authorities had tried to persuade him by explaining that he would 
be taken to London by car, given a first class cabin on a ship and taken 
home. They backed this up with beautiful pictures of Jamaica and talks 
extolling he virtues of the island.
Darky however turned it all down explaining that he was very happy where he 
was.
The locals were up in arms as it was costing a farthing (quarter of an old 
penny) precept on their rates to maintain him.
Nowadays it would be infringing his human rights.
(Rates are money paid to the local authority to maintain local services)
Fascinating.

Pat